The Jacksonville City Council met on Tuesday, August 25, 2026, at 5:00 PM in the Council Chamber, City Hall. The meeting was called to order by Council President Nick Howland and included 19 members present. The meeting adjourned at 7:54 PM. The agenda included a presentation honoring W.C. Gentry, a quasi-judicial rezoning, a large consent agenda, public comments, numerous public hearings, and final action on several ordinances.
Good evening. Welcome. I call to order the meeting of the full city council of August 25th, 2026. And Mr. Boylan, over to you as floor leader. Thank you, Mr. President. Our first order of business, of course, is the indication and pledge of allegiance. I would ask that you please recognize Councilmember Amaro, our council chaplain, to introduce today's pastor. Thank you, Mr. Floor Leader. Tonight we're honored to welcome Pastor Michael Pop of Grace Lutheran Church and School in Arlington to lead us into our opening prayer. Originally from the Midwest, uh Pastor Michael spent uh the first 30 years of his life there before moving to Jacksonville over 20 years ago. A move he thanks the Lord for every day. He began his career as a middle school math teacher in Nebraska and Iowa. But in 2005, he answered God's call to come to Grace Lutheran to help launch a middle school and the athletic ministry. In 2015, Pastor Michael entered pastoral ministry through Concordia Seminary in St. Louis and was ordained as an associate pastor in 2017. He has faithfully served as the sole pastor at Grace for the past three years, being a true shepherd of the Lord and the firm foundation of faith and guidance to the entire congregation, especially for those who on some days need it the most. In addition to his pastoral responsibilities, Pastor Michael serves as the uh director of athletic ministries for the Florida, Georgia District, and the president of the Jacksonville Christian Athletic League. He and his wife Jessa, Grace's third grade teacher, have been married since 1998, and they're a proud parents of two sons, Peyton and Addison, who both moved out of their house last year. Peyton is following in his father's footstep and is starting his fourth year as a middle school math teacher and athletic director at Grace. Pastor Michael is passionate about coaching basketball, chairing for his beloved Chicago sports teams, including the Bears, who might finally have a season where the quarterback throws throws a couple of thousand yards and officiating weddings for former students. Please receive uh Pastor Michael Pomp for tonight's invocation. Thank you. Grace, responsibility, integrity, and tenacity. And it's certainly that tenacity we're trying to help our middle schoolers have because we're in a world where they quit so easy. Uh, we're using the theme verse Galatians 6 9. I think it's very fitting as you guys start this new season, too. Uh and let us not grow weary of doing good. For in due time, we will reap if we do not give up. Um, and so certainly I'm here to thank you all on behalf of our school, our neighborhood. Um, what a wonderful place we have. We've been to a lot of big cities, and none's as clean as Jacksonville and safe. I love it. And I thank you for all what you do. Let's start this tonight by bringing the Lord here in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Amen. We pray. Good and gracious Lord, once again, we thank you for the blessing of all these uh wonderful individuals who put themselves on the line where half the people will not be happy, and they're gonna hear it. And every uh thing that comes up has two sides and and it feels like division, and yet when we look around, we couldn't be happier with the place that we have, the safety we have, the true clean city we have. Uh so excited, everything going on. And we know it starts here, and uh so we're just thankful. Those of us who are ignorant almost all year about it, come back and we're thankful. So be with them. May they continue to uh be rooted in you and the decisions they make, continue to look after each other, that we continue to uh bring thy glory into you come back and bring us home. In Jesus' name we pray, amen. Thank you again. I pledge allegiance.